A/N: Light adult situations ahead.
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The call came one evening, when she least expected it.
It had been a long day for the former military captain and the governor's daughter; they had officially reopened 'Seri's Choice' and the first day had observed brisk business as customers flocked to the noodle stall.
Serving bowls and bowls of piping hot noodles felt both familiar and foreign, as the partners operated in seamless harmony under their new system.
With tables numbered, and a simplified ordering system, efficiency was greater than before.
The charming serving lady at the stall was everyone's favorite. Ever the sweet talker, Seri laughed and joked with the customers as if they were all her friends.
Even Pyo Chi Su and Kim Joo Meok came by to show their support for the stall, providing some updates at the same time about the demonstrations, which by now were mostly confined to the city center.
With business thriving on the first day, Jeong Hyeok was actually able to close for the day ahead of time when they ran out of noodle broth.
For the stoic noodle stall owner, it was a day of firsts.
It was his first time operating the stall with a new system.
It was the first time he saw a considerable queue by his stall.
It was his first time truly smiling at customers.
It was the first time customers dared to wave goodbye to him, or to strike up some form of conversation, as Seri welcomed them with her charm and eye smiles.
It was the first time he had managed to close for the day by four in the afternoon.
The phone was still ringing, but seeing that Jeong Hyeok's hands were stained with kimchi juice from chopping the pickled vegetables up, Seri pulled herself into a standing position and made her way to the phone.
"I'll get it."
The phone continued ringing, urgent and angry.
"Good evening, this is the Ri residence."
Now, as he watched Seri pick the phone receiver up as if it was the most natural thing to do, Jeong Hyeok realized it was also the first time he would see her get so infuriated.
He had initially expected the governor's daughter to hand the receiver to him, but she never did. In fact, her facial expression, initially bright with a cheerful smile, dulled within seconds of entering the conversation.
"Yes, everything is fine. I am well. How did you get this number?"
Whoever it was on the line, Seri was clearly not too happy to hear from him or her. Her expression was neutral, unlike the times when her eyes would light up upon hearing from her parents.
"Hm. Thank you for your concern."
Another few seconds went by, and Jeong Hyeok saw how she had closed her eyes in what looked like exasperation.
"No."
The exasperated slowly dissolved into blank shock, before rising frustration was observed on her pretty features.
"No. Nothing of that sort. Look, I said 'Ri residence' out of respect for the owner of the place. Why are you so bent on making an issue out of it?"
Concerned, the former military officer hastily washed his hands and limped over to where Seri was, hoping that his questioning expression would yield an answer.
She forced a smile and shook her head at Jeong Hyeok to reassure him, before asking in a dangerously quiet voice.
"...so? What are you trying to imply? Do you even know what you're saying?"
This time, the governor's daughter didn't even wait for a few seconds before her reply came, sharp and furious.
"How dare you..." It was the first time he had heard Seri speak in this harsh tone, her voice tight and angry. "Take those words back."
Her body visibly stiffened, and he noted how one of her hands was balled up in a tight fist. He couldn't exactly make out the words from the other end of the line, but he could hear enough to identify a male voice.
"No, this isn't genuine concern. You are maligning the innocent. Apologize now."
Jeong Hyeok could feel anger radiating off her in waves, before he decided enough was enough at the sight of tears glistening in her eyes.
The angry pause persisted on Seri's part, her lips pressed together in a pale, thin line.
Voice quivering with simmering rage, she replied, "Who are you to talk to me like this? My father is completely aware of this arrangement, and..."
The Captain reached for the receiver, prying it gently out of her hand, even when she initially tried to stop him from doing so.
Silently, the former soldier placed it to his ear.
"...look, Seri, I am not saying that you've slept with him. But I can't speak for that guy's character. I am just telling you, you should know better as a lady than to stay at a single man's place for such a long period of time."
Jeong Hyeok's persistent silence was clearly mistaken for guilt on Seri's part.
"You don't have anything to say to that, do you? What about my reputation? Have you spared a thought for me? I am the secretary to the Finance Minister. What will people say if they find out that my fiancée had spent so much time under one roof with that noodle-selling cripple? I just don't want them to see you as a promiscuous woman—"
The conversation, or monologue, ended abruptly with a small slam.
Seri, who had been standing by the former soldier's side the entire time, had pulled the receiver from the latter's hand to replace the receiver on the rotary phone with a little more force than she probably had intended.
Having been close enough to hear certain unpleasant words from Sang Woo in his rising rage, the governor's daughter was increasingly overwhelmed by embarrassment and guilt towards Jeong Hyeok.
Sang Woo's words stung not only because they were disrespectful and scathing, but also because Seri knew they were partly true.
No matter how she'd deny it, the fact remained that she had kissed Jeong Hyeok and had encouraged him into behaving like a couple with her.
"Miss Yoon...?"
Fighting the involuntary quivering of her lower lip, Seri murmured an apology. "I am very sorry, I don't know why he'd deem it appropriate to call, saying such disrespectful things."
"It's alright. You don't have to apologize on his behalf." The Captain replied. "Are you feeling alright?"
A lone tear rolled down Seri's cheek, before she sniffled and wiped the tear off.
"I'm okay. I just do not like the way he spoke about you..."
"I believe he only said that because he cares for you, but was too worried to think straight." Jeong Hyeok offered a kind word, though he had a feeling his words deviated from the truth.
Shaking her head, Seri shook her head as a fresh onslaught of tears hit her, sniffling when the Captain placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
The conversation had been clear enough; Sang Woo did care, but it wasn't for her.
It was for his reputation.
Caring isn't done through an angry phone call accusing her of having crossed moral boundaries with the man who had saved her life, she thought dejectedly.
Caring isn't calling another person cruel names, especially when said person had done nothing but shown kindness.
If Sang Woo truly had cared, he would have rushed to her despite all odds when the riots had first broken out, or at least, made attempts in doing so.
If Sang Woo had cared, he would have known her whereabouts and also communicated with her on his whereabouts on a regular basis.
If Sang Woo had cared, he would have shown gratitude towards the Captain.
Caring, in its truest sense, is different.
Caring is selfless devotion, whereby one doesn't hesitate to protect and safeguard, even at the expense of oneself.
"I know what it looks like to care. This isn't it, Captain Ri."
Somehow, his presence in her life was causing more inconvenience than not.
The fact that Seri was drawing comparisons between Sang Woo and himself wasn't healthy for the governor's daughter, he thought, especially since they were somewhat guilty of what the bureaucrat had accused them of.
Of course, they hadn't gone beyond kisses in terms of physical relations.
But to the military man, a breach was a breach, no matter what fancy words were used to describe or downplay it.
The Finance Minister's aide might have used rather harsh words earlier on, but being with him would still give Seri far more luxury and stability in life than he could ever wish to give.
Besides, it was to Cha Sang Woo, and not Ri Jeong Hyeok, that Yoon Seri had been betrothed, with the best intentions of her father, and his.
This swallow might have migrated to his place for a while, but this migration would eventually end. She would have to fly back to her world where she truly belonged.
He had no place in this picture.
Perhaps he once did, but Fate had seen to it that he never will.
Not with this cursed physical condition, and most certainly not with the widened gap between their social statuses when he ceased being in the military.
He would still watch over her, but it was time to let her go.
"It should be safe for you to go back in a couple of days."
Again, this dreaded conversation.
Hearing those words, the governor's daughter felt her heart sink.
The logical part of her mind had always acknowledged that this arrangement couldn't possibly be permanent.
But for it to come to an end, as much as it was an expected end, hurt.
"You can always come to our noodle stall." Jeong Hyeok said gently, quietly taking in the loneliness clouding Seri's features. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll always be there."
She nodded, trying to will herself to take consolation in the fact that she would still be able to see the Captain even after this chapter in their lives came to an end.
"I understand."
The former soldier nodded stoically. "With the riots coming under control, I should be able to take you home safely. Some of the roadblocks have been taken down, so..."
"Will you be sad to see me go?"
Neither breathing easy, her eyes met his, meeting nothing but aching intensity in his gaze.
Hers were naked and pleading, whereas his eyes were guarded, hurting with the defeat of his wildest dreams.
"I'll be happy that you're going home to your family, who must be very worried for you."
Jeong Hyeok quickly looked away; these entangling gazes with Seri were unsettling at best, heart-wrenching at worst.
"...I see. You're right. I understand."
To a heart that was already bruised by the insensitivity from her fiancé, whom she couldn't care less about, the Captain's words formed a greater blow.
Slamming into the floodgates holding her tears back, the absence of comfort in those words left Seri seeking a hasty escape from the increasingly awkward situation.
"I will go back to the room."
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Hours slipped by, and except for the one occasion when she left the room to use the bathroom, the governor's daughter and the war veteran did not cross paths in the space-starved apartment.
Working alone at the dining table, Jeong Hyeok had chopped all the kimchi up, prepared the handmade noodles for the following day, and checked on the broth simmering over the small charcoal stoves.
Everything was part of the daily routine, except that the routine was missing Yoon Seri.
Was this a preview of life without Seri, the former Captain pondered as he took a quick shower to wash the remnants of food smells off.
It was strange how uneasiness plagued him over her impending departure, for he had always been surrounded by solitude since Mu Hyeok's passing.
The governor's daughter had only been here for thirteen days, and already, he had forgotten what it felt like to dwell in a space without her contagious laughter, quirky ideas, and her undying persistence in engaging him in conversation.
Even as he threw on a fresh long-sleeved top for bedtime, and pulled on a pair of long cotton pants, Jeong Hyeok noted with a twinge of poignancy the way his laundered clothes had been folded in a way distinctly different from the way he was used to.
There were no sounds coming from the bedroom, so he discreetly turned the knob to the door to push it slightly ajar.
Sleeping soundly in his bed was the woman of his dreams, clearly having fallen asleep while reading from the way the oil lamp remained lit and the opened book, lying forgotten on the tiled floor.
It was a bad habit of hers, one that only made her more endearing to him.
Limping over, the Captain steadied himself with a hand against the wall, before gently pulling the blanket over the slumbering lady, mindful not to wake her up.
Turning to go, he paused in mid-step when he recalled the oil lamp, and then it struck him how this would either be the last, or the second last time he would get to pick Seri's bedtime read off the floor, blow out the lamp and tuck her in for bed.
Cautiously, Jeong Hyeok moved to kneel by the bed, his eyes running over the peacefulness that Seri exuded as she slept.
He loved to watch her sleep, to listen to her gentle breathing, watching the hypnotizing rise and fall of her chest and falling more in love with her.
What a privilege it had been for a nobody like himself, to be able to share such a moment with the governor's daughter.
Seeing her rest in sleep's warm hold was in a way, helpful for his mental battles. Somehow, it put things in perspective for him, and made the sacrifices seem worth it.
In the dim glow of the lamp, she stirred, her tongue brushing her lower lip with a thin layer of moisture, and those dusty rose lips of her moved in silent invitation for his love.
He had done it so many times; one more stolen kiss should be alright.
As silent as a thief— a thief of kisses and of her heart— the former military officer leaned in to press his lips to Seri's forehead.
Leaning back with the faint rustling of fabric, Jeong Hyeok gently gazed upon her visage, hoping to commit every tiny detail to memory.
Then he moved forward again, tenderly pressing his lips to hers.
Again, and again.
In the next second, those mesmerizing eyes fluttered open, before accompanying a languid smile to form their usual rainbow-shaped arches.
Caught by surprise, all he could do was to gaze upon her natural beauty with slightly widened eyes, unable to look or move away.
"I—"
"I thought you said you're happy to see me go home?" She whispered in a voice faintly raspy from sleep, still wearing that faint smile which held his heart captive.
It was impossible to lie, when all he wished to do was to protect this precious eye smile.
Giving her a half-smile of his own, the former Captain silently shook his head, eliciting a breathy chuckle from the governor's daughter.
"You could have told me the truth..." Seri continued, her eyes meeting Jeong Hyeok's as she propped herself up on an elbow, shifting further to the other side of the bed. "...and spared two hearts from more sadness. Must we really torment ourselves further?"
Perhaps it was the quiet intimacy that lingered in the space between them, or perhaps it was the fact that her impending departure was finally sinking in, that led the Captain to shift such that he was sitting on the bed by her side.
"I'm sorry." He gently replied, eyes widening by a fraction when the governor's daughter reached out for his hand to hold it in hers.
Once again, it was a silent invitation, but this time, instead of evading, he chose to answer even though she hadn't explicitly said anything.
Drawing his legs up onto the single bed, Jeong Hyeok lay down, settling into a cramped, yet strangely comfortable position by Seri's side.
"You're so tall, Captain Ri." The governor's daughter pointed out with a smile, observing the way Jeong Hyeok's feet dangled over the edge of the bed.
"Is it too cramped for you?" His answer was a polite, instinctive one.
Seri shook her head. "No, but it would be more comfortable if you'd get below the sheets as well."
So he did.
They lay side by side in companionable silence, until the Governor's daughter stole a glance at the Captain.
He was impossibly handsome from the depth of his eyes to the gentle expressions of his baritone voice, and most handsome when he would lose the mask he wore for others to indulge in being himself.
Ri Jeong Hyeok was physically captivating enough, yet what was most beautiful came from deep within, from a heart which held intensity, ardor, honesty and tenderness.
For as long as she safeguarded his beautiful soul, he would be more handsome still, even should passing years deepen the lines on his face.
Then it was his turn to steal a glance, and their eyes met in that instant.
For someone so handsome, Seri thought, Jeong Hyeok must be used to catching people watching him, witnessing that instant where their natural expressions froze into deliberately nonchalant looks and awkward smiles.
So it was a refreshing change, when she returned his smile with one of her own, until surprise dissolved the upturn of her lips.
"May I call you by your name?" He had always wanted to do so, especially when it was something he could do only in private.
Nodding once, the governor's daughter replied, her voice breathy in their close proximity.
"Only if you'd allow me to call you by yours."
Despite himself, Jeong Hyeok found nervousness creeping into his mind. The soldier had waited so long for this moment; countless times he had called her by her sweet name in his dreams of the future, and thought of this name when the darkest days of war locked him in living hell.
"Seri." Her name escaped his lips in that husky, deep baritone, and he decided that it must be the most beautiful word he had ever spoken in this life.
Her heart leapt with raw, uncontained emotion as their eyes met in the warm glow of candlelight, allowing her to gaze into the cracks deep within his irises, cracks that allowed emotion to seep through.
"May I touch your face?" He quietly asked, his faintly husky voice reverberating in her senses in the dark.
"Yes," She nodded, smiling bravely as she relished the way his name rolled off her lips. "Jeong Hyeok."
Both knowing that this beautiful dream would soon come to an end, Jeong Hyeok tenderly, and apprehensively, brought his hand to Seri's cheek.
Gently stroking her cheekbone with his thumb, the Captain then brushed a few silky strands of hair out of her face, his eyes still holding hers.
"When this dream ends, I hope you can promise me to wake up entirely from it."
She nodded again, not trusting her voice in this intensely intimate exchange.
His fingers slowly trailed along the side of her face to lace themselves in her soft tresses, caressing the shell, and the back of her ear to reach her nape.
What an irony it was, Seri thought, that the Captain should do this to her while requesting for her to forget all that they'd have shared.
Did he not know what his touch could do to her heart,
Or was he simply trying to imprint everything on his memory?
He didn't say more, but allowed the moment to lead them into whispering their secrets not to ears, but to their mouths.
Closing her eyes, the governor's daughter welcomed the pair of warm lips that sought hers, drugged by the intensity of this private moment and this love that was doomed not to see light.
Her hands found their way around his neck and into his hair, threading through the short, slightly damp locks as his tongue stroked along her bottom lip, slowly delving inside to taste her sweetness until they pulled apart for air.
Struck by Seri's beauty, the former Captain searched her face, watching as she gradually returned from the sensual place where their kiss had taken her.
With renewed enthusiasm, lips met lips again, tongues exploring, stroking, savoring.
Reveling in each other, defenseless and vulnerable, every touch was exquisite, unraveling whatever chains of self-control they had imposed on themselves.
Jeong Hyeok's intimate flavor was laced with hers, and along the waves of dizzying sensations, hands roamed and explored, clutching and holding on to whatever Fate would soon take away from them.
In the maelstrom of rising passion, Seri felt a warm masculine hand glide over her hip bone, drawing circles mindlessly as they continued losing themselves in the kiss.
Reaching for his hand, she wrapped her fingers around it, guiding him to the base of her rayon top, pressing his palm against her bare skin.
In a way that left their hearts pounding, breath hitched, Jeong Hyeok's palm grazed over the soft, flat planes of her abdomen, before trailing upwards.
His fingers first brushed the lower swell of her breasts, eliciting inaudible gasps from both of them. A remaining shred of sanity brought his hand to a complete standstill, but her hand covered his over the fabric of her nightgown, silently urging him to go on.
Seri's skin was softer than anything he had imagined; buttery, silky and invitingly warm, her body was a perfect sanctuary, a wonderland for his weary soul.
Eyes fluttering close, her soft groan filled his mouth as he cupped her breast, fingertips brushing softly over her nipple.
Gently rolling the peaks of her breast between his thumb and forefinger, the Captain breathed in her familiar feminine fragrance at the crook of her neck, marveling at how their bodies, still clothed, molded together in perfect alignment.
Chest rising and falling rapidly with shallow, quick breaths, Seri tightened her hold on Jeong Hyeok's back, instinctively moving, arching against him as she melted under his touch.
He was making her feel so good, conjuring sensations that were wildly exciting, foreign yet familiar. In the dizzying cloud of rising desire, she felt herself wishing fervently to return the favor, to make him feel as good as she did.
Experience was something she lacked, but Seri wasn't uneducated in this aspect. The growing hardness against her lower belly was getting harder and harder to ignore.
Apprehensively, the governor's daughter drew her hand over the Captain's straining erection through the cotton fabric of his pants, noting with fascination the way he groaned almost inaudibly, muscles tensing as he held still.
Gliding along his length, Seri brushed her lips against Jeong Hyeok's parted ones, before wrapping her hand around him, marveling at the obvious evidence of his desire for her as shivers of pleasure washed over him.
But as the forbidden, intoxicating sensations surged, so did guilt and uneasiness.
"What will people say if they find out that my fiancée had spent so much time under one roof with that noodle-selling cripple? I just don't want them to see you as a promiscuous woman..."
This was the furthest they should go, logic screamed hysterically at Jeong Hyeok as Sang Woo's words returned to haunt him, ricocheting through the cloud of carnal desire in his mind.
It was a very slippery slope; if he didn't stop now, he wouldn't be able to stop, ever.
In a display of willpower that surpassed almost all his life experiences till date, the former military captain gently withdrew his touch to wrap his hand around Seri's wrist, stopping her from going any further.
He shook his head and steeled his heart at hearing the involuntary whimper that slid past her lips.
He has almost done what he had resolved not to do.
They would regret this if they went further, he was certain.
"I don't think I should stay here." His words held poignant finality, pulling himself into a sitting position on the bed as the governor's daughter nodded.
This time, the Captain didn't hide his reasons when her eyes, swimming with helpless resignation and hurt, pinned his. "I don't think I can stop myself if we go any further. It wouldn't be fair to you, Seri."
Once again, as with anything that had happened on this day, it was the first time he had done anything like that.
But this, he promised himself, would be and must be the last.